20 (A)Wine is a mocker, (B)strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever (C)is led astray by it is not wise.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:1 Or will not become wise

On Life and Conduct

20 (A)Wine is a mocker, (B)intoxicating drink a brawler,
And whoever [a]is intoxicated by it is not wise.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:1 Lit errs

17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

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17 One who (A)loves pleasure will become a poor person;
One who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

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20 Be not among (A)drunkards[a]
    or among (B)gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and (C)slumber will clothe them with rags.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine

20 Do not be with (A)heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with (B)gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the (C)heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And (D)drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

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29 (A)Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has (B)wounds without cause?
    Who has (C)redness of eyes?
30 Those who (D)tarry long over wine;
    those who go to try (E)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it (F)bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your heart utter (G)perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.[a]
35 “They (H)struck me,” you will say,[b] “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I (I)must have another drink.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:34 Or of the rigging
  2. Proverbs 23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say

29 Who has (A)woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has red eyes?
30 Those who (B)linger long over wine,
Those who go to [a]taste (C)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
When it [b]sparkles in the cup,
When it (D)goes down smoothly;
32 In the end it (E)bites like a snake
And stings like a (F)viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your [c]mind will (G)say perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the [d]middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a [e]mast.
35 “They (H)struck me, but I did not become [f]ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When will I awake?
I will (I)seek [g]another drink.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:30 Or search out
  2. Proverbs 23:31 Lit gives its eye
  3. Proverbs 23:33 Lit heart
  4. Proverbs 23:34 Lit heart
  5. Proverbs 23:34 Or lookout
  6. Proverbs 23:35 I.e., from the effect of wounds
  7. Proverbs 23:35 Lit it yet again

(A)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings (B)to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take (C)strong drink,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and (D)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who (E)is perishing,
    and wine to (F)those in bitter distress;[a]
(G)let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul

It is not for (A)kings, Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (B)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (C)pervert the [a]rights of all the [b]needy.
Give intoxicating drink to one who is (D)perishing,
And wine to one [c](E)whose life is bitter.
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his trouble no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Lit judgment
  2. Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
  3. Proverbs 31:6 Lit bitter of soul